Senior RTÉ executives will spend a second day being questioned on who knew what about undisclosed payments to Ryan Tubridy.
16 people, including former and current members of RTÉ’s executive and board, have been invited before the Public Accounts Committee today.
Media Minister Catherine Martin said yesterday's appearance by executives at the Oireachtas Media Committee 'revealed a shocking failure of governance' by senior RTÉ management.
"This has not calmed the considerable disquiet about the lack of accountability at RTÉ in the public domain," the Minister said.
"It is vital the Executive Board engages in as transparent a manner as possible, and I urge those present to responsibly account for the decisions taken which have seriously damaged the public’s trust in public service broadcasting".
Media Minister Catherine Martin talking to reporters outside the Department of Arts and Culture, after her meeting with Chairperson of the RTE Board, Siun Ni Raghallaigh. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell/Rollingnews.ieMinister Martin she also has asked for delivery of a second Grant Thornton report "to be accelerated", adding that a four week timeline for its delivery "does not reflect the urgency of the situation."
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster, who sits on both the PAC and the Media Committee, said she wants to see a lot more transparency from the organisation.
"We specifically said that we wanted truthful answers, detailed answers," she said.
"And for a lot of the time we didn't get those.
"The Public Accounts Committee will have a second run at it, and I hope we see a lot more transparency.
"There's still a hell of a lot of questions to be answered".
File photo of former RTÉ Director-General Dee Forbes with Ryan Tubridy at a photocall to mark new programming. Picture by: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie"There's an onus on them to come forward with the answers... RTÉ's reputation is in tatters.
"That's the extent of the bad feeling that these secret deals and secret payments has created.
"If RTÉ are to even attempt to regain a shred of credibility [they should] answer those questions truthfully and in detail," she added.
RTÉ’s claim former DG Dee Forbes was the only person who knew about Ryan Tubridy’s pay arrangements is ‘not credible’ - Varadkar. pic.twitter.com/tmhF3kDB0G
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) June 28, 2023
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it is "not credible" that former RTÉ Director-General Dee Forbes was the only person who knew about the undeclared payments to Mr Tubridy.
"While the RTÉ statement from yesterday sheds some light on what has transpired, a lot of questions remain open," he told the Dáil on Wednesday.
"We expect to see a full and open engagement at the Oireachtas committees today and tomorrow.
"Certainly, we do not believe it is credible that the former DG Dee Forbes was the only person with knowledge of these events," he added.
Additional reporting: Alan Cantwell
